How Are We In Love?
by Shakkaho3000
Summary: It still amazes me to this day how much I really love this woman. It also still amazes me how freaking annoying she is. Summary sucks but it's my first YoruSoi story. Rated M for later lemon chapters and language. NOTE: I removed the latest chapter (8) because I hardly put thought into it and it was just...ugh! But I am rewriting it, so don't worry.
1. I Love A Nuisance

**It's been a while! OW! Okay, okay****,**** I deserved that pan to the head. I'm sorry for not finishing and deleting **_**Ooh, You in Trouble**_**. To be honest****,**** I didn't have a plan for it. I was pretty much just writing random stuff. But, as an apology, I decided to start over and go on a new track. I will do a KimxShego story, but right now I will do one of my favorite yuri pairings: YoruSoi! Oh, and I changed my name! They use Shukkaho so much on Bleach! And, of course, I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. If I did, Soifon and Yoruichi would have way more air time.**

It's not like I don't love her. Everyone in the Seireitei knows I'm head over heels for her. But, I don't know…I guess I'm just scared. Scared to actually show my feelings. Scared to show affection in public. Believe it or not, it's definitely easier to say "I love you, Yoruichi" than it is to actually display it.

You see, about three months ago, I finally confessed my love to Yoruichi under our favorite Sakura trees. I will admit I felt like I was going to throw up because I was so nervous. I told myself that I wasn't going to cry if she rejected me. But to be honest, I would have probably broken down and cried my cold, lonely heart out and shunpoed as far away from her as possible. Yet the unthinkable happened.

"_Y-Yoru…Yoruichi, I…I…I love you so m-much! I've loved you ever since I set my eyes on you! 100 years ago, you were the only thing that mattered. I would have done anything to see that beautiful smile of yours. Whenever I looked into your golden eyes__,"__ tears in my eyes by now, but not crying, "I felt as though a million burdens were lifted off my shoulders. Yoruichi-sama, no…Yoruichi, you are everything to me. I'm sorry if I wasted your time, I just had to come clean. It's okay if you don't return my feelings, I'll…I'll be alright."_

"…"

_Silence._

_My eyes were closed. I was too afraid to look into the eyes of a goddess. I felt a gust of wind and it took me all of my courage to look up._

_Gone._

_She was nowhere to be found. I was in that horrid forest all alone. I was going to cry, but not before I destroy every Sakura tree and petal that would soon be full of vile memories. And right when I was about to lash out in anger, I felt the most marvelous pair of arms in the universe wrap around my waist._

_Warmth._

_That was all I felt. Any emotion I felt before was long gone. A little tear escaped and fell on my cheek. A soft, ebony hand wiped it away._

"_Do you realize how long I've waited to hear you say that, little bee? My goodness, when you sent that Hell butterfly saying it was an 'urgent situation,' I thought you had more frustration to exert on me. But a confession of the love I've been yearning for these past hundred years__"__ she turned me around so that our eyes were locked on each other, " I would have never expected it. And with that, I say that I love you too, Soi._

"_I__ had a crush on you when you were my bodyguard and when I left, my feelings gradually turned into something both magnificent and terrible. My love was terrible because you weren't there for me to share it with you. I'm sorry I left you and I'm sorry I led you on like that. I wasn't sure back then, but now that I am, I can finally do this…"_

_And with that, Yoruichi tilted my head up and placed a gentle, forgiving kiss on my virgin lips._

Yeah, I know, I still cried. But it was worth it because I now have the love of my life walking next me. With a frown plastered on her face and narrowed eyes. And I had my signature scowl wondering, "How the hell am I in love with this annoying pain in the ass?"

**Shukkaho3000: And that's that! Let's see how this story goes 'cause I didn't have a good feeling about the first chapter. It's not my fist yuri, but it's the first one I actually put thought in.**

**Soi: God, you're such a pain in the ass.**

**Shukkaho3000: Me?**

**Soi: No, Yoruichi.**

**Yoruichi: Oh really! I wasn't a pain in the ass when we were tongue wrestling last night!**

**Soi (Blushing): Shut up!**

**Yoruichi: What's wrong with you? Did I do something?**

**Soi: Did you do something? Yoruichi, you-!**

**Shukkaho3000: Whoa don't tell them what happened, they'll have to stay tuned!**

**Shukkaho3000, Soi, Yoruichi: Review!**


	2. I Love Grumpy

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Bleach.**

**Shkkaho3000: I would like to thank the following for reviews and for adding me to favorites:**

**.Cat.94**

**YorusoiTheBest**

**Joylinda**

**the spanish inquisition**

**Kagura18**

**lazyface**

**Thanks, guys! Here's a present for your kindness!**

I'll never forget that day. The most important day in my life, I would say. Hah! That rhymed! Oh, sorry, I can get distracted really easily. A certain raven-haired shorty would say I "have the attention span of a dog." Jokes on her, I have the attention span of a _cat._ Anyways, what was I…oh yeah! I was talking about the day when my little bee said…

"_Y-Yoru…Yoruichi, I…I…I love you so m-much! I've loved you ever since I set my eyes on you! 100 years ago, you were the only thing that mattered. I would have done anything to see that beautiful smile of yours. Whenever I looked into your golden eyes," she had tears in her eyes now, "I felt as though a million burdens were lifted off my shoulders. Yoruichi-sama, no…Yoruichi, you are everything to me. I'm sorry if I wasted your time, I just had to come clean. It's okay if you don't return my feelings, I'll…I'll be alright." _

_I was speechless. Should have seen me. Pathetic! Hell, I was scared; I've never had to face my emotions before, let alone my secret crush. But, of course, I wasn't going to run away. I'm Yoruichi Shihoin, the Goddess of Flash, and I'm not called that only because of my shunpo. I have quick thinking._

_I shunpoed behind her to see how she would react. I was always the mischievous one. And can I say that her bare back (I'm guessing she was training before) was looking mighty delicious right now. Her little head tilted up and she looked around. I noticed that her shoulders were quivering, as if she was crying. But from the sudden change in her reiatsu, I would say she was pissed. So I decided that it was time to open my heart and let everything out._

_With my arms wrapped around her petite waist, I responded," Do you realize how long I've waited to hear you say that, little bee? My goodness, when you sent that Hell butterfly saying it was an 'urgent situation,' I thought you had more frustration to exert on me. But a confession of the love I've been yearning for these past hundred years" I turned her around so that our eyes were locked on each other, " I would have never expected it. And with that, I say that I love you too, Soi. _

"_I had a crush on you when you were my bodyguard and when I left, my feelings gradually turned into something both magnificent and terrible. My love was terrible because you weren't there for me to share it with you. I'm sorry I left you and I'm sorry I led you on like that. I wasn't sure back then, but now that I am; I can finally do this…"_

_And to top that awesome love confession off, I gave her an even more awesome kiss on her inexperienced lips. Hah! Another rhyme! God, I love that girl._

"Yoruichi."

And now I can't stand her. What does this bitch want now? Don't get me wrong, I still love her. But ever since she came from the weekly taichou meeting this morning, she's been in a sour mood. I mean, yesterday wasn't even that bad. I just wanted to show everyone how cute my little bee is. And now she's all pissed off at me. Well, I asked her to go on a walk with me so we could talk. We haven't said anything 'till now.

"Yes, little bee." She hates it when I call her that.

"We need to talk," she cringed.

No shit, Sherlock.

"Yeah, I know. Look, Soi, I'm sorry, but you're really taking this too seriously. Why can't you just squash it?"

Her demeanor changed and her reiatsu spiked a little. Other shinigami who noticed it began to walk further away from us or cower in an ally. She was definitely pissed now.

"Taking this too seriously? Yoruichi, you-"

"My, my, my, which one of you lovely ladies are in a bitter mood today. Is it the mischievous cat or the little, mean bee?"

"Ha, ha, who do you think it is? Of course it's the nasty hornet. But what about you, still an alcoholic?"

I'll definitely get an ass-whooping later, but for now let's enjoy company.

"What? Me, the great Kyouraku Shunsui, an alcoholic? How dare you?" Shunsui dramatically put his hands on his hips to emphasize the last part.

"Indeed, because there's a difference between a drunk and an alcoholic. An alcoholic attends ASA (Alcoholic Shinigami Anonymous) meetings. Drunks wait until their fuku-taichou beats the hell out of them to stop drinking!" Jushiro Ukitake playfully punched Shunsui in the arm. Everyone laughed. Well, except for Cruella De Vil.

We went on like that for a while, walking and talking, joking around, occasionally greeting fellow comrades that walked by. But, I couldn't help but worry about my Soi. She always gets mad when someone makes fun of her petite frame, like Shunsui and I just did, but she was oddly cool. You know how when a person gets really mad they suddenly become calm. That's Soifon right now.

And I'm scared for my life.

"Well, boys, it's been nice talking with you, but me and my little bee were having a serious conversation. Talk with you later."

"Actually, Yoruichi-san," Ukitake gently placed his hand on my arm, "I actually wanted to talk with you for a second."

I glanced at Soifon who had a scowl on her face that would make a Menos Grande piss on their self. We locked eyes for a second and her glare deepened. I gave her my signature grin and mouthed "one minute." Shunsui was talking to her about her height. Or making fun of her. I heard, "When I was younger, I dated this girl who was the same height as you. I kind of know the hardships of being short. I mean, you're a grown woman and your feet can't touch the floor when you sit in most modern chairs. I bet they gave you a custom made one for your office, huh?" I wouldn't be surprised if he was found missing later on tonight.

Ukitake and I walked to a nearby bench and sat down. Before I asked him what was wrong he cut me off.

"Soifon's been really grumpy nowadays. Maybe you shouldn't have done that in public. You know how she is about emotions."

I grimaced. I really didn't want another lecture. Soifon already cussed me out. But I supposed since Ukitake been around for a long time, he's very wise. So I sat cross-legged, folded my arms, and dealt with the problem.

"I know, I know, I did it without thinking. I guess I thought that we were at the point of our relationship where she wouldn't have a problem showing off. We've had multiple talks, but I guess she's still embarrassed." I tried to hide my disappointment, but he noticed it.

"I don't think she's embarrassed. I think she's just scared. She was raised to block all emotions and assassinate all enemies. Her loyalty to the Gotei 13 is incomparable. She doesn't believe in personal relationships, she's always been independent. When her feelings began to develop for you, she was confused and didn't know how to handle it. And now that you guys are together, she's afraid of failure. This is the first relationship she's had, Yoruichi, and you can't blame her for her mistakes."

"…"

Don't you hate it when you feel so dumb? I've been so angry at Soi, thinking she should know how to treat a woman, but she doesn't. She has no clue. We went pretty fast, and she's still trying to catch up. And I expected more from her.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel bad about yourself. Please, don't. You just have to realize that life isn't shunpo where you can go exceedingly fast and not get hurt. It's definitely not easy to master, either." Ukitake patted me on the back and gave me a contagious smile that shined more than sun. I gave him a grin. "Life isn't shunpo;" I like that. A sudden burst of reiatsu grabbed our attention and we looked at the source.

Shunsui nervously had his hands up in a surrender position while Soifon called forth her shikai and had it pointing dangerously at his chest. Looks like he went too far. Seated officers were running away from the scene because when a captain activates his shikai, shit's about to pop off.

She looked over her shoulder and looked right into my eyes. A single tear dropped and I saw anger, shame, and...pain?

Before I could react, she shunpoed away and her reiatsu was becoming farther and farther. But it wasn't because my girlfriend snapped and ran away crying that confused me. What confused me was why I didn't go after her?

**Shakkaho3000: Uh oh, the drama has begun everyone. That rhymed! I thought Yoruichi was a bit ooc but I've always liked the playful side of her. I'm not good at philosophy stuff, so sorry if Ukitake's advice didn't make sense. Did you see my sad attempt at humor? I wanted to put some comedy in it since it's about a bickering couple. And don't think Yoruichi is actually scared of Soifon, it's just her playfulness. I wasn't really sure about this chapter, I'll admit. Please review and tell me if I need more work. Anything to say, guys?**

**Soi: …**

**Yoruichi: …**

**Shakkaho3000: umm…okay…Review!**


	3. It

**Disclaimer: I'm tired. Look at Ch. 1**

**Shakkaho3000: Ayo! Sorry for the wait. Happy New Years! I couldn't concentrate with all the buzz going around, so I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't seem planned out.**

**New reviewers and subscribers!**

**BituMAN**

**Yuki **

**Recognition to .Cat.94 and Joylinda. KEEP IT STRONG, BUDDIES!**

**0_o …I don't know why I said that. But anyways, I bet you guys been wondering what happened between Soi and Yoruichi. Well, guess what? That's…**

**NEXT CHAPTER! I can be a bitch at times, you know. And it's one of those times. It's to build suspense and foreshadow, too. But mainly to be a bitch. Enjoy, it's a different POV! Warning: will start off a little slow but it will get there.**

5 Hours Earlier

"Alright, guys, there's no need to be hostile towards each other."

"But he started with me, taichou! I was just being an amazing 3rd seat by finishing your paperwork and this dumbass comes out of nowhere and steals it from me!" Kiyone Kotetsu pulled at her co-3rd seat's goatee. He let out a yelp.

"What? She was totally being a kiss-ass and trying to gain your attention! I was just being a Good Samaritan and taking _your_ paperwork back. But since you were sleeping I did it for you," Sentaro Kotsubaki pulled Kiyone's collars resulting in slight strangulation.

I sat on my porch near the koi pond where I _was_ having some tea with Rukia Kuchiki. That was until my 3rd seats stumbled in arguing.

Again.

At first it was quite annoying to me and other squad members. But I then became content that my 3rd seats would do anything to impress me and it made me very grateful. Rukia got used to it, too. She told me once that it was a sign of peace when the two started arguing, for they were serious and trustworthy whenever there was war. But she still thought it was a little bothersome.

"Come on, you two, get off of each other and show the taichou how mature you are. I know you two aren't done with your own paperwork because we just got a new batch. Apologize and get started, please." Although it was with a serious tone, Rukia gave a smile at the end.

"Y-Yes, fukutaichou! We're sorry, Ukitake-taichou! We'll be done in no time!" And with that, the dynamic duo scurried off to their office with blushes from the embarrassment. It's amazing how they can say things simultaneously.

"Well, fukutaichou, I have to go to the taichou meeting. I'll see you after."

Rukia nodded and I went off to the 1st division. It wasn't anything serious, just a weekly meeting to discuss any concerns or requests. When I entered through the doors, I saw a couple of my friends in the distance, so I sped up my pace.

"Shunsui! Unohana! You know an old man like me can't run anymore!" I laughed.

They stopped until I was walking with them. We were all longtime friends, over 200 years, I believe. Shunsui and I were more than friends, of course. Unohana had her signature smile that could glow in the darkness and Shunsui had his goofy smile.

We said our morning greetings (I gave Shunsui a kiss) and proceeded to walk towards the main hall. Byakuya Kuchiki, Sajin Kommamura, and Toshiro Hitsugaya were already in their respective positions. We said our greetings and I went over to my place next to Kenpachi Zaraki who was still absent. Soon the Sotaichou and the other taichous were here, except for Soifon. I'm not surprised, though. I would have probably stayed hidden, too.

"I will now begin the taichou meeting. Is everyone here?" Ever since I was a kid, Yamamoto-san always had that raspy but booming voice of his.

"Soifon-taichou of the 2nd Division is absent, sir," Unohana quietly put in.

"Does anyone know where she might be? If not, then we will start without her."

"She's probably playing with her new pet pussy," Zaraki snickered. This got a chuckle from some of the taichous.

I'm not one to purposely start an argument, but when you're talking about a fellow comrade I will stick up for them.

"Now, now, Soifon had a bad day yesterday and as an adult you should make mature comments."

"Tsk, I was just saying that she's probably too sore too even get up and walk."

Everyone except me, Unohana, and Yamamoto laughed and I glared at Shunsui. I gave him my if-you-don't-stop-no-sex-for-a-week look. And, of course, the pervert stopped.

"That's enough," Yama-san finally interrupted, "Everyone be quiet! As I was saying, we will have to start without-"

Mines and everyone else's attention turned to the opening door and in walked none other than the scowling Soifon.

"Soifon-taichou! I believe I informed all taichous that this meeting was supposed to start 5 minutes ago. What is your excuse for your absence?"

There was something wrong with her. I was the closest to the door so I was the only one that could see it. But, what was _it_. It was a mixture of anger…no, rage and anguish. It created bags under Soifon's eyes which mean she hasn't been sleeping. And I hate to say this, but I felt Yoruichi's reiatsu disappear last night.

I think it caused a break-up.

"Gomenasai, Sotaichou. I was so caught up in some…personal affairs that I didn't realize the time. Again, gomenasai," Soifon spoke in a monotone voice with no emotion at all. She walked slowly to her place at the right side closest to the Sotaichou.

"Well then, let's continue so we can be done. I will now ask if any of you have any requests or concerns from you or your squad members. We will start with 2nd Division taichou, Soifon," Yamamoto gestured to her to begin.

Because everyone hates going to these meetings, we usually just say there are no concerns and get on with our day. Plus we hardly use profanity, except for Zaraki.

That's why everyone was surprised.

"I have a request concerning all of my comrades. There is no nicer way to say this, so here it goes: Mind your own fucking business. What happened between me and Yoruichi is between _me_ and _Yoruichi_. Please stop being assholes and spreading _our_ business. We are all mature adults and children," this got a reaction from Hitsugaya, "So please act your age and stop bullshitting around. I would also appreciate it if all of you informed your fukutaichous. That is all."

…

I think there was a nicer way to say that, but I don't think she gave a damn. I contemplated on whether or not I should be the first one to answer. I looked over at Shunsui who looked like he was trying to stifle laughter. Unohana's eyes were open and had obvious shock in them. The others were stunned, too. Yama-san's eyes were slightly open and he opened his mouth to say something. But guess who voiced out their opinion?

"Tsk, look who grew some balls. Little miss over here is so ashamed of her nice piece of ass that she's willing to threaten people if they get into their _business_. Who the hell do you think you are?" Zaraki stepped forward to indicate he was ready for a fight. Like always.

"There's no need to be aggressive," Unohana stepped in, "I agree with Soifon that her personal life should not be gossip, even though there was certainly a more mannerly way to express it."

Told you.

"I assure you, Soifon-Taichou, that I was not one of the people to spread the gossip. But who were you talking about when you said 'children'?" I knew Hitsugaya was going to say something.

This whole time Soifon was uncharacteristically quiet, but her expression was gradually returning back to a death glare towards the floor. Poor floor.

"I never wanted to have any confrontation with anyone, but I hope you know that I will not deny a battle to prove my point," She looked toward Zaraki who grunted in response, "I apologize if I offended anyone, but there really was no polite way," She glanced at Unohana who frowned a little. I think we all know what happens when Unohana frowns.

"And I was indeed speaking of you, Hitsugaya, when I said children. I didn't mean any offense by it, but if you are too sensitive to realize that than the Gotei 13 really doesn't need children as its leaders." The boy's reiatsu rose to show how close he is to losing it.

I'm going to have to give him some candy later.

"Now, now, Soi-chan, let's calm down and collect ourselves." Right when I think she couldn't get any angrier, my Shunsui makes it worse. I'm not with him because of his intelligence.

"You of all people shouldn't talk since you were the main one that started it all!" Soifon's reiatsu matched the other aggravated taichous now and her hand was dangerously close to her zanpaktou.

A loud bang caught all of our attention and we realized it was the Sotaichou banging his zanpaktou disguised as a cane on the floor. Where've you been while all this happened?

"It seems that Soifon-Taichou has some _personal_ problems that she needs to deal with and is unable to participate in our meeting today. Unless she thinks she can handle herself, she is dismissed."

Soifon made the right choice and quickly walked out of the room, but not without receiving some glares from the ones she pissed off. When she walked by me, we made eye contact and _it_ was back. She slammed the doors behind her and everyone's reiatsu slowly came back to normal.

"If we have anymore objections, let's proceed on to the meeting. Do you have any concerns, Unohana?"

"None at this time, sir," she sighed

I think we were all exhausted, especially me. I was beginning to have a headache from the drama.

"If you need to for medical reasons, Ukitake-Taichou, then you may be dismissed, also."

"Thank you, Sotaichou. Gomenasai."

I looked over at Shunsui and gave him a nod to assure him I was alright. As I walked towards my barracks, I felt Soifon's and another familiar reiatsu rising and I couldn't help but feel relieved.

You might be in deep shit, but you're the only one that can help her, Yoruichi.

**Shakkaho3000: My, my, my, Soifon was not in the mood. Again, I'm sorry if the chapter didn't seem planned out. I wanted to explain what happened at the meeting in a different way and I thought Ukitake's POV would be good. For the entire hardcore Ukitake, Hitsugaya, and Zaraki fan girls/boys, sorry if they were a little ooc. I was going to give Unohana some more dialogue since she frowned, but I thought I should focus more on Soi. Anyways, Next chapter will be what happened between Soi and Yoruichi. **

**Ukitake: Please don't throw Kiyone off the cliff, Sentaro.**

**Rukia: Please don't throw a desk at him, Kiyone.**

**Shakkaho3000: Ha, ha. Love those two. Review!**


	4. Put Some Clothes On

**Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, Ichigo and the others would have brought Nel and her fraccion home with her. But sadly, Tite Kubo didn't want that.**

**Shakkaho3000: I got lazy. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favorited!**

***Scratches back of head* Hehe...How's it goes? Okay,okay, I know. "Where the hell have you been?" Well, for the first week, I was grounded and my computer was taken away. And then school started back, so I won't have much time to do it on weekdays, anymore. But as an apology, I give you this chapter. Enjoy!**

**WARNING: This is one of the M Rated chapters. There'll be some fluffs, some yuri stuff, and a lot of cocoa puffs.**

Yesterday

"Yoruichi."

"Yes, Little Bee."

"Please, put some clothes on."

It was a sunny day in the Soul Society with slight winds. The Sotaichou gave everyone a day off because today was the one year anniversary of the downfall of Sosuke Aizen and his Arrancar army. The Shinigami were all outside enjoying the fresh air and each other's company. Well, Hitsugaya-Taichou was napping, Zaraki-Taichou was killing off hollows, and a few fuku-taichous, including Rangiku Matsumoto, were out drinking.

And Yoruichi was annoying the hell out of Soifon.

You see, Soifon isn't the kind of person to have "fun." She's the kind of person to "use time wisely," as she would say. Using time wisely includes training, finishing paperwork from yesterday, training, cleaning up her quarters, training, and, of course, training. Yoruichi calls her a "training fanatic." Soifon calls herself an "exercise enthusiast." Whatever she was, though, Yoruichi wouldn't have it.

The werecat was sitting on top of Soi's desk facing the Chinese woman.

Naked.

And legs wide open for the whole Seireitei to see.

The smaller of the two was sitting behind the desk in her office chair.

Horny.

And eyes wider than her fuku-taichou's waist. She couldn't help but have heat going to her cheeks and down to her private area.

"My sorry fuku-taichou or anyone else could walk in here and see us like this. What are we going to say, then?"

"We could say you were giving me an at home hysterectomy." If it was possible, Soi's eyes became even wider. "Or we can say that you were just pleasuring your girlfriend!

Soifon sighed. She knew what was coming. "Yoruichi."

"You're so cute when you're blushing. I don't know why you are, though. I mean, think about it, Soi. We've made love at least ten times, so you've seen everything I have." She cupped her ample breasts. "You've sucked and nipped on the twins." She turned around so her ass was in the blushing woman's face. "You've spanked that a couple of times." Grinning, she shifted back to her original position, trailed her left hand down to her private area, supported herself with her right hand, and began to…play with herself. "And…we can't forget…how much you've-Ah! - played with my kitten."

"…"

To say that Soifon had a little nosebleed was an understatement. More like a gushing hemorrhage. And as Yoruichi had a panic attack trying to wipe up all the blood and yelling for a blood transfusion, Soifon thought about her vulgar but true words.

"_I guess she's right. We've been dating for three months now and we've already had our first time with each other. But, why do I feel this way? Why do I feel like I need to hide it from everyone? I love her, I know I do. It's just that-"_

"Oi! Earth to Soi! Earth to midget! Are you there?" The caramel skinned woman was now sitting in Soi's lap with her legs at the other's sides. Their faces were a few inches from each other and they were staring deep into each other's eyes.

"Little bee, I love you. I know that you're scared, but we'll have to tell them sooner or later. I'll be there with you, you know. Plus," She gave a toothy grin and slapped her left bicep, "If any of the bastards have a problem with homos, then we'll have to show them some of that lesbionic power!"

As they both laughed, Soifon wrapped her arms around Yoruichi's waist and the other rested her head in the crook of her neck. She kissed the top of her head and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm just…I'm just not ready. Please…bear with me a little longer. I'll get it, I'll definitely get it. Just-just give me some ti-"

A pair of lips cut her off while a caramel hand wiped a tear away. When Soi opened her eyes, she saw the most beautiful woman kissing her with her arms wrapped around her neck. The petite woman knew not to resist (Who would?); last time she resisted she was pretty much raped. So, of course, she kissed back and didn't take any time to force her tongue through Yoruichi's mouth.

The passionate kiss soon escalated into sloppy kisses full of hunger and anticipation. Their tongues were battling over the dominance that Yoruichi always win and the heat that was radiating from them slowly traveled down south. Yoruichi's craving hands were groping every piece of skin she could find.

Soi, feeling inferior, broke the kiss and sucked on the taller woman's pulse point causing enticing moans from Yoruichi, who then began to strip the other of her haori. The Chinese woman picked the werecat up and walked over to the yellow and black couch that she got for her birthday from the woman. She laid her on the couch to undress herself completely of her Shunkou top and shihakusho. When she was done, Soi literally pounced on Yoruichi and attacked her neck once again, this time nipping at the sensitive skin, also.

Yoruichi's hands roamed Soi's back, arms, stomach, and finally to her small breasts. She took advantage of Soi's pause from her moan to flip them over so that she was on top. Before Soi could protest, the violet-haired woman latched her mouth to the other's left nipple and massaged the right one.

"A-ah...Yoru...ich!" Soifon moaned as the other lightly bit her pink bud. She switched to the other and traced her tongue around the areola while pinching the left nipple. The sensation caused Soi to entangle her hand in Yoruichi's violet hair and moan even louder, especially when she pressed her knee against Soi's heat. The smaller woman bucked her hips and let out a grunt to tell her she was getting frustrated. If there was one thing Yoruichi learned from their past love-makings, it was that Soifon hated being teased. But, of course, this is Yoruichi we're talking about.

The werecat moved her mouth from her lover's breast and trailed her tongue down the toned, milky abdomen. She sat up a little and placed a slow trail of kisses down the Chinese woman's thigh and when she was near her sex, she stopped and did the same to the other thigh. Soifon was obviously aggravated, she wrapped her legs around Yoruichi's waist and used her strength to pull her down so that their faces were now centimeters apart.

"What's wrong, little bee?" Yoruich asked in a seductive tone. "You don't like it when I tease you?"

Soifon smirked, "Tsk, of course not. But I bet you won't either." And without any hesitation, she flipped them over with her on top. Yoruich grunted but then screamed in response to Soi attacking her ample breasts.

"O-oh!" The werecat moaned as Soi sucked and nipped on one breast while massaging and pinching the other. The feeling drove Yoruichi insane.

Yoruichi had far more sensitive breasts. On her first time with Soi, she nearly came when her breasts were played with. Maybe it was because of her plentiful bosom. Or because she gets really horny.

She pulled her lover up towards her to give her a hot kiss with some tongue. They wrestled once again for dominance with Soi winning this time. The petite woman trailed kisses down to the other's neck and began to work on a hickey.

This, plus the merciless groping of her mounds, caused Yoruichi to go crazy and tremble in excitement. She needed Soi _now_.

"Please...Soi-chan...please take me all the way...please," Yoruichi begged. And that was all she needed to do.

Without any response or warning at all, Soi forced two fingers inside the catwoman's opening. She quickly bent down to cover Yoruichi's usually loud scream with a kiss. It was easy to create a slow, sensual pace as she was very wet.

Her walls clenched and contracted against the other's fingers. She bucked her hips in rhythm against the penetrating fingers. Yoruichi massaged her own mounds to give herself some attention. The sensation was overwhelming as Soi added another finger and rubbed her bundle of nerves with her thumb. She qivered under the attention and let out a moan into the passionate atmosphere.

Soifon balanced her weight on her left hand as she increased her pace. The expression on her beloved's face and the sounds she was making was making Soi get wetter and wetter. It was exciting Soi so much that she reached for her own sex but was stopped by a hand.

"Don't...you dare...Oh! That's...that's my job-Ah!" Yoruichi whimpered as she let go and looked into the other's eyes.

Soifon smirked in response. "Let's switch it up a bit."

She stopped her movements, which caused an aggravated groan from the catwoman, and turned herself so that they were in their favorite position: The 69 Position.

_"Tsk, we usually do this after our first orgasms," _Yoruichi thought as she licked her lips in anticipation,_ "But I guess my little bee wants some honey." _Her mind was overwhelmed with lust and desire as she looked up at Soi's pink heat. She closed her eyes, grabbed both bottox, and lifted her head to go in for the kill.

The way Yoruichi could use her tongue was incredulous, according to Soifon. She tried not to get distracted by the pleasure, but it was near impossible. Yoruichi rolled her tongue over the bundle of nerves and slowly inserted her tongue into Soi's opening. This elicited a low, arousing moan into Yoruichi's already drenched sex.

The two women went on like this for a steamy 10 minutes. The hot, passionate air was full of moans and whimpers and the sounds of ass-slapping (Wonder who that was?). For a few minutes, Soifon replaced her tongue with her three fingers again and Yoruichi played with Soi's other hole, which surprisingly caused the woman to moan even louder.

But finally, the big finale was coming soon. Their hips started to buck more fiercely and a feeling of euphoria gradually began to engulf their bodies. The moans turned into screams and they both increased their paces to get their lover to Nirvana. Soifon's muscles began to contract and tense first but was soon followed.

"Mmm, Soi! I'm coming! Oh, fuck yes!" Yoruichi shut her eyes and clutched the cushion to brace for impact.

"A-A-AAAAAH!" Soifon was rendered speechless as she orgasmed into her girl's mouth. Her toes curled and she gripped the chocolate thighs. But she forgot to expect that common geyser that rushed into her mouth and on her face. Yes, Yoruichi was a squirter. And Soifon loved every drop of it.

After the exhaustion of the tsunami of pleasure, Soifon was the first to have her resting heart rate and come back to her senses.

"Y-yoruichi. I love you so much." Her voice was barely over a whisper.

"I...love you, too...Little Bee." She was too fatigue to get up and kiss her even though she wanted to.

"I...I think I'm ready. I think I'm finally ready to tell our peers about us. I've thought about this for a long-Ah!"

Soifon was cut off by Yoruichi picking her up by the waist and spinning her around in the air. The scared woman soon relaxed when she saw her lover crying.

"Soi, I can't believe it! I promise you won't regret it. It'll feel like a million burdens lifted off your shoulders." Yoruich gave her a bear hug and a kiss.

Soifon blushed and stuttered that they should get dress. "Y-you kind of in-interrupted me from...work."

"Hah! How did I interrupt you from a free day?" Yoruichi pointed out while handing Soifon her shihakusho and Shunkou top. The Chinese woman blushed in response and put on her clothing.

As she tied her yellow obi around her haori, Soifon looked to see that the wereat was lounging on the sofa. Still naked.

"Yoruichi, please, put some clothes on."

**Shakkaho3000: My, my, did it get a little hot? This is the first M Rated yuri I've ever written, so sorry if it isn't well written. Sorry if I also made you uncomfortable, but I did warn you before and on the summary. Anyways, school is back and I won't have as much time for writing, but I'll try to update on weekends. This was kind of a filler chapter since I had writer's block, but you can still fit it into the plot. Thanx for reading! Anything to say, guys?**

**Soi and Yoruichi: *making out and half naked* Mmm...**

**Shakkaho3000: Oh my...*wringing towel out from nosebleed* Um...Review!**


	5. Happy Birthday, Soi

**Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, it probably wouldn't even be Bleach anymore. It would be this crazy yuri anime centered around a petite Chinese woman and a dark-skinned nudist****.**

**Shakkaho3000: This is for Captain-Blue-Kitty's birthday challenge for Soifon. Happy B'Day, Soi! It won't be a YoruSoi only story; there will be a plot and a lot of characters.**

8 hours later, about midnight

It's awfully quiet. I know a lot of people aren't usually out this late at night, but the silence was eerie.

I just came back from training my Shunko. After Yoruichi and I made love, I finished my paper work and straightened up the house. She got dressed and said she had some important business to do. When I asked her about it, she simply stated, "Oh, nothing important…"

…

I swear sometimes she had a few issues upstairs. When I was done, I trained some new, sorry recruits and decided to train for a while. But instead of shunpoing back, I walked through the unusually uncanny streets of the Seireitei.

I needed to take a walk to think about some stuff. The words from earlier were coming back and beating the hell out of me.

_"I...I think I'm ready. I think I'm finally ready to tell our peers about us. I've thought about this for a long-Ah!"_

I hate to say it, but I'm having second thoughts. I love Yoruichi, and I'll do anything to make her happy, partially the reason I even said that. I can't imagine going back and saying never mind. She wouldn't show it, but she would be devastated. And a Fon doesn't go back on her word.

Panic started flowing through my veins, and these silent streets weren't making it better. It's been about five minutes after I was done training, and I finally had enough energy to sense reiatsu.

I stopped walking for a better reception, and what I got in return was very odd. It seemed that all of the weaker Shinigami was scattered everywhere, most likely in their quarters. That was normal, but as for the stronger Shinigami, their reiatsu was nowhere to be found.

As I walked pass the 10th Division, I spotted a familiar face. Matsumoto-Fukutaichou was standing in front of the barracks and smiled when she saw me nod in acknowledgement. Matsumoto and a few others were the only people who knew about me and Yoruichi. She found out by stealing a truth serum from Kurotsuchi and slipped it in my tea at an SWA meeting. But that's another story, so I'll just say she was at the 4th Division for a while.

"What are you doing out so late?" I was a little curious since the blonde was always napping.

She continued smiling until she gave me this horrid, yellow and black striped corset with fishnets.

"Just a little something for your Yoruichi-sama."

"What the hell is…" And then it clicked. It had to be midnight, which meant a new day. And that new day had to be February 11th, my birthday.

…

Shit! It's my BIRTHDAY!

Before I could comment, Matsumoto knowingly grinned at my confirmation and grabbed my hand. She proceeded to drag me towards the 1st Division.

"What do you think you're doing, Fukutaichou," I snapped. The blonde looked back at me and grinned.

"Oh, nothing important…" She sang with another grin and I saw a sparkle of mischievous in her eyes that resembled a certain someone. There was something odd about her. Whenever I see the curvy woman she's either drunk, sharing her "How to Be a Sexy Pussy" facts (…), or just talking her head off. Either way, she's talking. But now, she's too quiet and I have a feeling it's something to do with the silent streets and my birthday.

Turning the corner to the main 1st Division hallway, I growled, "Matsumoto, if this has something to do with my birthday, than we can just stop-"

"Can you feel it?"

"…What?" I think she's hanging out with Yoruichi too much.

She turned and gave me a serious look, a rare sight from the outgoing woman. That's when I finally noticed. Except for the guards, there was hardly anyone in the barracks. I felt no reiatsu, except for ours. This was very suspicious, since we were only a few meters away from the Sotaichou's large quarters

Embarrassed from not noticing before (I am the Commander of the Omnitsukido), I gave her a stern look. "Was this the reason you brought me here? Where are your Taichou and the other Fukutaichous?"

She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a sudden shout of pain. Time began to slow then. We hurried to the Sotaichou's quarters where the shout originated. I, of course, was the faster one and shunpoed to the door when I felt a burst of reiatsu. As a trained assassin and bodyguard, it was protocol to hurry to your leader's destination when they were troubled. Adrenaline naturally rushed through my veins, my heart was pounding so fast I think it skipped a few beats. Even 17 months after Aizen's defeat, I still have paranoia when it comes to battle. I drew Suzumebachi and knocked down the door when all of a sudden-

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOIFON!"

"…"

What. The. Hell.

I stood there with a dumb expression on my face from the shock, but quickly settled on a confused scowl as I took in everything.

Everyone was here, including all the Taichous, even the Sotaichou himself, and Fukutaichous. Kurosaki Ichigo, his friends, the Visoreds, and Urahara were here, too. There were black and yellow streamers everywhere and tables loaded with food, including my favorite, fish. There was a table with presents of different sizes and shapes on it, and there was even a piñata shaped like a bee (of course) hanging on the city.

If Matsumoto wasn't there to push me farther inside, I probably would have walked away. But, knowing that they took a lot of time to do this for me, I was considerate enough to sheath Suzumebachi and enjoy the night, even though a certain someone wasn't there.

"Oi, Soi-chan! It's time to open your presents!" Urahara yelled in a rather gay voice, still covering his black eye with ice.

It's been about half an hour, with no sign of Yoruichi. Everyone was conversing with each other and having a good time. I admit that I was, too. Urahara said something to Hiyori that crossed the line, and she punched him right in the eye. Some said that she just ruined my good time, but I assured everyone that it was one of the best birthday presents I've ever received.

I was just forced to open the piñata; of course it didn't take long since only one hit was necessary. I was surprised to see a bunch of fireworks come out with the candy. I looked over and it was none other than Kuukaku Shiba. She was wearing her revealing outfit, but this time she had a black, long-sleeves undershirt on, for the weather had gotten rather cool. I gave her a nod and she smirked back at me.

"You should open mines first, Soi." She grinned and gave me a large colorful present. Over the past months, she's become a close friend. When Yoruichi would have to leave for somewhere, she offered her home to me for company. I can almost say she was a…er…_best_ friend. But I will never tell her that.

I opened my present and it was some weird, oddly shaped firework thing. Noticing the expecting and confused looks, she explained, "This is no doubt my greatest creation. I call it the _Sōdaina Hanabi Taikai 3000_, or the Spectacular Fireworks 3000. Light this baby up and all of the heavens will light up. It's composed of a thousand fireworks and there haven't been any deaths yet!" The thousand fireworks didn't bother me. It's the fact that she said "yet."

"What about injuries?" Unohana asked in a slight worried tone. Whenever Kuukaku was in the area, there were always injuries.

"…" That's a hell yes.

I picked the 20-25 pound firework up and walked to the balcony where I laid it gently on the ground. Yamamoto-sama was gracious enough to light it and the countdown began.

…

…

…

Oh, sorry, I kind of zoned out waiting for this hell of a long countdown. As though we all had the same thoughts, everyone turned to look at Kuukaku. She rubbed the back of her head and gave a humbled smile. "Well, not everything is perfect. Just a little longer, I swear."

"Oneesan, I told you to test it more before you-AH!" Ganju and his sister had a similar relationship to Omaeda's and I. Piss me or her off, and you won't have a face anymore.

Still waiting on the firework, I went back to opening my gifts. I received various things including a large cat plushy from Urahara (Bastard, I should have killed him from the embarrassment), a yellow dress with flower designs from that Quincy boy, and a…I don't know what the hell Shunsui gave me. Some kind of shitty romance novel.

Matsumoto reminded me not to forget her present, which I accidently dropped when I panicked. She gave it back and I couldn't help the heat engulfing my whole face as I heard snickers and whistles. I glanced at Urahara, Shunsui, and Ukitake who knowingly winked and smirked. Unohana gave a slightly mischievous smile. I wanted to thank Matsumoto but-

"It's going! Everyone countdown with me!" Kuukaku was jumping around the balcony screaming about the_Sōdaina Hanabi Taikai__._

"Juu!"

Everyone rushed to the balcony which didn't have a lot of room. I shunpoed to the rooftop and sat down, I hate crowds.

"Kyuu!"

I looked up at the sparkling stars, like they were saying 'Happy Birthday."

"Hachi!"

I noticed a couple Shinigami climb on the roofs to watch the ceremony. Do people really care about me?

"Shichi!"

And then it dawned on me, the realization that these people who I've never gotten close to actually considered me a friend. Some actually considered me a _sister._

"Roku!"

Tears began to flow down my face because now I know that I don't have to trust just Yoruichi or Kuukaku. I can trust them with my life, and they won't admit it, but they'll never betray me and I'll never betray them. And I felt happy.

"Go!"

Where was Yoruichi? I would think she would be the main one here. Yes, I'm happy, but I feel uncomfortable that my lover is missing.

"Shi!"

I got up to investigate and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I tensed but soon relaxed after I heard that velvety voice.

"San!"

"Where do you think you're going, birthday girl?" I turned and looked up into beautiful golden eyes that shined brighter than any star.

"Ni!"

"I love you so much, Soi. And I hope that this and many more birthdays will come, because if I lost you, I wouldn't be able to live." Her tears were contagious.

"Ichi!"

"I-I love you, too, Yoruichi." And we passionately kissed just as they said…

"Tanjoubi Omedetou!"

As if it represented our happiness together the_Sō__daina Hanabi Taikai 3000 _exploded into hundreds of little firelights that seemed to fly in a certain pattern. When they exploded with a _BOOM_, they perfectly spelled out "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in Kanji.

It was a perfect variety of colors and little bees and cats outlined the words. It looked impossible to do and I knew Kukkaku and Ganju spent a lot of time and hard work on doing it. It probably broke a record for the length of time a firework display can be suspended in air because it was there for a good minute. And it was one of the best minutes in my life.

After the excitement died down, we were all ready to go home since we saw the "big finale." But before some could say good-bye and congratulation, Yoruichi got up and asked for everyone's attention with a yell.

"Yo! Can I get your attention, please? I want to say something before we all go!"

Everyone soon quieted down and Yoruichi was now the center of attention. I was a little worried, though, because she had a few shots of sake with Shunsui and the other drunks. She looked fine and didn't have a slurred speech, but she was known to get real fucking annoying when she's drunk.

"First off, I want to give thank Yamamoto-sama for letting me plan this party in his home, Omaeda for lending me the money to pay for it, Kuukaku for creating that awesome fireworks display, and all of you for taking the time to congratulate Little Bee," she paused to let everyone applause, "But I now want to talk about this little midget right here." Of course, everyone laughed because it was so fucking funny.

"But with all the jokes aside, Soifon has been an amazing person to me for a while now. 110 years ago, she was the greatest bodyguard a noble could ask for. Her skills were superior to many of the other Omnitsukido members and I don't regret her becoming a Taichou or the Commander because she truly deserves it. When I came back from my 100 year leave, she had a number of emotions to spill out, including anger. But we gradually became closer and closer, but then one night we got really close." My eyes widened as I realize what Yoruichi was getting to. Kuukaku and I exchanged glances and she, too, thought this was bad.

"Under a Sakura tree, she confessed her love for me." This caused a confused atmosphere of whispers as baffled faces turned to me. I was so shocked I couldn't even do anything but blush. Urahara stepped up to Yoruichi.

"Hahaha, it looks like Yoruichi had too much to drink. Maybe you should-"

'No, no, no! We've been hiding this for too long! Come on, Soi," She grabbed my hand and circled her arms around my waist with our faces only an inch from each other. My blush deepened as I heard more whispering and saw a few surprised expressions. Ukitake then tried to calm Yoruichi but she shook him off. And then she said it.

"Guys, Soifon and I have been girlfriends for three months now. Yes, we are gay and we love each other very much. So not only is this a birthday party, but this is also a coming out party." And because things weren't already going wrong, she had to fucking force her tongue in my gaping mouth, making it look like we were making out. I quickly shoved her away and took in all the gasps and looks of disgust and judgment.

The silence was revolting. I felt weak and sick. All that shit I said about them being my friends was a bunch of bullshit now. I saw all those smirks and scowls on their faces and heard the snickering. I knew they wanted to make a smart ass comment, and I wasn't going to let them. Unohana came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder, but I winced and shunpoed as fast as I can out of there. I heard people call after me but I didn't give a shit. They could go to Hell. They can all go to Hell.

…

Especially _her_.

**Shakkaho3000: Ah! I finally uploaded! Thanx to Captain-Blue-Kitty for the challenge because writer's block was a bitch****,**** and I had no ideas. Sorry if it got a little boring at the beginning, I needed to lead up to it. But anyways, Happy Birthday, Soi!**

**Soi: …**

**Shakkaho3000: Wow…this just got awkward. Oh, and if you didn't know already sometimes I use Japanese to make more like the anime. I don't know the language, but I will love to. Until next time!**


	6. Just A Little Drunk Last Night

**Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Bleach. No, really, do I?**

**Shakkaho3000: I know, I know. Way too long for an update. As I said in Every Polar Loves Manta Ray, I had tons of important schoolwork and writer's block. But, anyway, here it goes, enjoy!**

There she was, standing there with rage and fear in her eyes. She was beyond pissed, beyond livid. But she was scared, and it was because of me.

When she left the party, it took me a while to realize what I did, after the alcohol in my system died down. Of course I was ready to tell everyone, but I still had a feeling that she wasn't, even though she told me she was. But I ignored that feeling and started planning her party. I knew she was going to totally ignore her birthday, so I took that opportunity to surprise her… and everyone else.

It might not seem like it, but Soi is the most insecure person you'll ever meet. She's not used to emotion and love; she wasn't raised like that. So even if we've been together this long, she's still getting used to the basics, you know? And I knew this, I knew this all along. But, you see, I'm not the best at emotions either. Everyone knows I'm playful, open-minded, and pretty much do whatever I want. My parents wisely gave up on arranged marriages with me.

And because I'm bad at my emotions, I always ran away from them. Yeah, I know, I bet you never thought I would ever run away from anything, huh? Well, this is the only time, except for that time when I was little and I saw my mom with some nasty, green face cream on and I thought she was Godzilla. But, besides that, I never ran away from anything else. And it's sad, because I'm a grown woman with the heart of a teenage. My life was and still is easygoing, only getting serious when the situation calls for it, so mature things like love and commitment never really crossed my mind.

But if I run away now, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself, and neither would Soi. Choosing my words carefully, I cleared my throat and looked into those scorching, silver orbs, "Hehe…I guess I got a little drunk yesterday…"

So not only am I bad at my emotions, but also at choosing words, because that pissed her off even more.

"A little drunk? Yoruichi, you fucking told everyone that we're together!"

"I know, Soi, but…" How am I going to explain myself?

"But what, Yoruichi? 'But I didn't mean to, Soi! You know how I get when I drink. Anything can fly out my mouth!'" She was mocking me by talking in an "I'm a dumbass" voice, which was pissing me off, too.

"Wait a second! You told me that you were ready, so don't even try to blame all this shit on me!"

I didn't mean to blow up like that, but I'm right, right? I did feel a little guilty at yelling at her like that, especially when I saw how taken aback she was, but she quickly deepened her glare. "I know what I said, but that doesn't mean get drunk and yell it to the whole world! I wanted only a few people to know before the whole Seireitei finds out."

But I guess she was right, too. "Look, Soi, you're right, I'm sorry, but you can't be scared anymore-"

"Scared? Ha! What the hell should I be scared about? Scared that everyone knows we're together? Scared that everyone saw me in a weak state?" She had tears in her eyes, now. "Or should I be scared that…I-I might lose you again?" What did she mean by losing me again?

"Soi…I'm not going to leave you. Yeah, you're pissed and I am, too, but we can get through this. We can still be together. I know I'm not doing a good job, but all relationships have their highs and lows. "

She looked at me seriously, a lone tear running down her cheek, "No, Yoruichi, you don't understand the situation. You forgot that your last name is Shihoin, which is one of the Great Noble Houses. It won't take long for news to spread to them. They hardly accepted me after you left. Do you really think your family will happily accept our relationship? No offense, but your family is extremely traditional to even think about homosexuals, let alone have one of their kin be one. They will make our lives a living hell to try to break us up!"

"…"

I never actually thought about my family since I've been with Soi. I guess I've been so busy with her, I almost forgot about them. Even before, I hardly communicated with them, except for my mother. My mother was the only one in the family who I really trusted and truly cared for. Actually, she's one of the few people I said goodbye to when I left 100 years ago. She was the only one that supported all my decisions and hardly ever scolded me.

My father, on the other hand, was an old fart. If he wasn't my dad, I would have no respect for him. He was the main one that punished me for just being myself. It was always a problem with me, whether it was my personality, the way I never smiled when meeting possible grooms, or just the way I talked. If I could ever have a better relationship with my dad, I would gladly enjoy it. However, my dad wasn't the welcoming type when I came back. You want to know what he said to me when I first saw him. He gave me this weird look and said, "Nice to see you again, Yoruichi" and walked away. To put it simply my father made Byakuya look fun and animated.

So, to get back on the subject at hand, how would my family take our relationship? I know that even my mom have some limits, so she wouldn't immediately accept it, but as long as I'm happy she is too. As for my father and the rest of the family…I have enough problems right now, I don't even want to think about what they'll do.

"Well, Yoruichi? From your silence, I hope you've realized the scale of the problem, now." Her tears were gone, but she was still furious with me. Yet, I couldn't help but notice that the fear in her eyes grew and she was trembling.

"Soi…what did you mean…when you said that my family hardly accepted you."

Her eyes widened, I'm guessing from realization that she said too much. She frantically shifted her gaze around, trying to think up an excuse until she landed her gaze on me.

She sighed, "I guess I can't hide it from you forever. Yoruichi, your family was not happy to find that a non-Shihoin was appointed head of the Omnitsukido."

Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to hear.

**Shakkaho3000: What's this? A secret Soi's been keeping from Yoru-chan! What did the Shihoins do to our Little Bee? I'll try to update soon, but I can't promise.**

**Soi: I'm sorry that the idiot took so long to update. It seems that she developed a resistance to Suzemebachi's poison…**

**Yoru: Now that the anime's over, this is the only job I have right now. And it's minimum wage!**

**Shakkaho3000: Thanks for reading! And please review with positive comments!**


	7. A New Purpose in Life

**I know there weren't any refrigerators 101 year ago, but I noticed my mistake after I was done with the chapter and was too lazy to change it.**

101 years ago

The pain that I feel right now…is a pain I have never felt before. I've been training ever since I was a small child, training to become stronger than the brothers I have lost in battle. Training to become faster than the eye can see. Training to be right by the side of the corps-commander herself. There has never been a day in my life when I was not training. I pushed myself until I passed out, and then trained more and more when I would wake up. My muscles would ache until it felt numb, but I never cried; that would result in a beating. There was no play time or friends in my childhood. My toys were katanas and kunais and other weapons, and my play dates were sparring partners. My mother hardly talked to me, and the only thing my father cared about was whether or not I dishonored the family name. I've always felt pain…

But this agony is like no other.

How long has it been since she left? I looked over at my calendar. Three days…more like three centuries. Three centuries of pain. It feels like my heart is about to burst, but the pain isn't even physical. I can't explain it, it's like my body feels okay, but my mind has shut down. I feel tired, but I can't sleep. I can't concentrate because I'm just not interested in anything, including eating. I feel worthless...I feel empty.

"_You're depressed,"_ I remember my father telling my mother that when her fifth child died on a mission. _"You shouldn't dwell on something that was expected to happen. He didn't work hard enough, so death was the punishment. It's your fault for making all five of them weak from your spoiling, for making them 'Momma's Boys.' Now that we only have one child left, I'll be sure to raise her into something better than those useless children."_

And indeed he did, of course. His words were harsh, but he was right. You put too much emotion into something and it's bound to go wrong. Exactly the case with Yoruichi. I thought confessing my love to her would cause a problem in the future, but I was wrong. She left me with those feelings before anything could happen.

…she left me. I've been telling myself for the last three days that she's going to come back, but I know better than that. She left me here all by myself. But why? Why didn't she take me with her? I'm her bodyguard for goodness sake! I go everywhere with her, I'm never suppose to leave her side. And of all the people to go with her, that _man_ went with her. It was obvious that they were good friends, but I can't help but feel that he had to have some feelings for her. Who wouldn't fall for that goddess? She's beautiful, smart, and strong, and her personality makes her even better. I loved her so much…she was my everything. The only purpose of my life was to serve and protect her. That was the only reason I was trained to be who I am today. Yoruichi was the only thing that ever mattered…

My thoughts stopped when I felt that my hands were wet. A flood of tears were flowing down my cheeks. I began to sob loudly, resting my face back into the palms of my hands. Who exactly am I today, now that my purpose has vanished? I got up and went to the full-body mirror hanged up on one of the tan-colored walls of my small room. It was a gold-rimmed mirror with little dragon designs that Yoruichi gave to me. _"You're so boring, Soi! If you're not going to do anything with your room, at least put a damn mirror in it!"_ It seems I'll never forget that lively voice of hers.

As I looked at myself in the mirror, I swear a part of me died at the sight. My silver eyes were red and puffy from the crying. My hair was messy and dirty and the smell made it worse; I hadn't bathed in a few days. I looked like a zombie, especially with my pale skin. Goodness…how could that woman make me neglect myself like this.

Not wanting to look at myself anymore, I turned away from the mirror and turned the nozzle of the bath all the way to the left. I waited until the water was a few inches away from the top and turned it off. I stripped and lifted my leg into the water and flinched back because of the searing heat, but slowly dipped it back in until my whole body was underwater. I sighed as I felt my muscles relaxing and the steam clearing my mind from the pain temporarily. In a few minutes, my body would be covered in suds and my hands would be lathering my hair until you couldn't see a strand of dark blue.

After rinsing my hair, I sat there for a few more minutes until I felt reiatsu approaching my front door. I was drying myself and putting on my robe when I heard my name being called by a familiar, loud female voice. Before I could tie the sash my door slid open and in came a woman I didn't want to see at the moment.

"Oi! Didn't you hear me calling you? I know you had to because the whole barracks heard me!"

I scowled and walked into the kitchen, ignoring her presence. My mind wasn't in a social state right now. I was literally starving and opened the fridge, only to find a spoiled gallon of milk and week-old dumplings. I was about to look in the cabinets until I was jerked back by my arm and slammed into the wall. I didn't have the physical strength to fight back, so the only thing I could do is glare back into dark eyes.

"I'm not in the mood right now, Kuukaku. Just please go back home!" I mentally slapped myself for making it sound more like a plea instead of a demand.

The busty woman deepened her glare and began to look me over. She had my shoulders pinned against the wall and I couldn't get out of the hold even if I tried. Her glare lessened while she was staring at how neglected my body was.

"You just took a bath?" I grunted in response.

"Been a while since ya ate?" I grunted again.

"Been cooped up in here the whole time?" Again, being too tired to speak, I grunted.

"Ya miss her a lot, don't ya?"

I was going to respond the same way until my mind actually processed what she said. Do I miss her? Would I be in this state if I didn't? I wanted to tell her that, but my fatigue was getting too overwhelming. My gaze met hers and told her everything she needed to know. Now she was the one who grunted in response as she let me go and went back into the living area to retrieve a bag. She set it down on my little kitchen island and, although I didn't show it, I was very surprised and happy that she pulled out three wrapped up plates from the squad's mess hall.

"Ya can have da other two but this one here is mine," Kuukaku unwrapped the first plate which included a helping of nigiri sushi, chirashi, and sunomono. When I raised an eyebrow at her choices her response was that she was a seafood-only person. I opened up the second plate and was surprised to see it had some of my favorites including grilled fish and seaweed wrapped sushi. I didn't want to admit, particularly because the woman sitting across from me had a smug look on her face, but I was very happy that she came to look after me. "_She's still irritating as hell,"_ I thought as I dodged a flying piece of shrimp.

As I was eating, I thought about the first time I met Kuukaku. It was after Yoruichi and I completed a mission to exterminate some hollows that were harassing Rukongai residents in the countryside. It was an easy mission that a seated officer could have taken, but Yoruichi needed a break from family politics and I needed a break from the jealous Omnitsukido members who adored my secret girlfriend. We were both tired, however, because it was a long way from Seireitei and required hours of shunpo across the forests. Yoruichi told me she had a friend that stayed in the countryside who would give us food and shelter until we rested and left out the next morning. Well that friend happened to be the loud and hot-headed Kuukaku Shiba who soon made me feel uncomfortable and annoyed with her comments about my appearance and undeveloped body. I would tell you more about what happened, but just thinking about it is giving me a head-ache, plus the fact the Yoruichi was a prominent figure in the memory made it worse.

When I finished my food, Kuukaku threw away our plates and put the third one in the fridge. I went to my room to change clothes, which was the standard Omnitsukido uniform, and I was surprised when I walked back into the kitchen to see a thoughtful Kuukaku in deep concentration. Her eyes were closed and her head was resting on her folded hands. I decided this may be a good time to talk.

"Was there something you needed? No offense, I thank you for the food, but I kind of want to be alone right now," I said softly, a little worried about her behavior.

Opening her eyes, she raised her head and gave me a stern expression. "It ain't something that I need, but what your Sotaichou need." She raised her hand to stop me from responding and walked to the front door.

"There's a Taichou meeting in half an hour and the Sotaichou wants you to attend as Soifon-Taichou of Squad Two and Commander-in-Chief of the Omnitsukido. Don't ask me what 'cause I know you heard me and don't ask me why 'cause I don't know. Everyone else was too scared to get ya themselves so they sent me, a 'close friend,' to get ya. Don't just stand there like an idiot," she grabbed my hand and dragged me outside,"Ya won't make a good first impression if you're late to ya first meeting. Close your mouth and come on!"

Not even giving me time to gather my thoughts, Kuukaku forced me out of my home and literally dragged me to the First Division Barracks. Did she just say Soifon-Taichou and Commander-in-Chief? They can't possibly expect me, her bodyguard, to replace Yoruichi in both of her positions. It's only been three days! I was trying to protest but every word I sputtered out earned me a shove or slap on the head from the irritated woman who had a tight grip on my wrist. It was a sight to see, really. An aggressive voluptuous woman dragging the petite and protesting bodyguard of a rogue taichou. Too bad it wasn't so funny to me.

Still gripping my wrist, the black-haired woman pulled me into the entrance to the main hall of the First Division and suddenly stopped in front of the grand double doors of the meeting hall, causing me to bump into her. She turned around and grabbed my face with both of her hands, forcing me to look into her strong green eyes that softened when she saw the fear in my eyes. It was hard not to be scared when your whole life did a compete 180 in three days.

"Kid," Kuukaku started with an uncharacteristic compassion in her voice, "I know you're scared. Hell, I'm scared, too. I don't like getting involved in Shinigami business, but I got this weird feeling. Something ain't right about this whole situation. But I need you to promise me that you won't get caught up in this mess. This is a lot of shit to carry on your shoulders right now, but you gotta get through it. Not for me, not for Yoruichi, but for you. Here, I want you to have this," she took out a folded yellow obi from a secret pocket in her robe, "I guess you can call this a good-luck charm of mines. It was a gift from my brother Kaien. It always gave me comfort during hard times, and I want you to wear it with the haori you'll get soon."

She turned me around so that I was facing the doors while wrapping the obi around my waist. I turned my head to look back around but she jerked my head back forward. I didn't realize I was crying until she wiped the tears away from behind. I don't know why I was crying. Was it from the fear of suddenly becoming a taichou without any bankai training? Or maybe it was because Kuukaku gave me enough reassurance to know I wasn't alone in this. I was so scared that I was shaking, my hands unconsciously caressing the soft fabric of my new gift. I felt a pair of hands grip my shoulders and heard breathing in my ear as I felt determination spread throughout my body and the adrenaline coming with it. Kuukaku was right; I have to get through this. There was no turning back, if I fail then I'll really waste away into the nothing I was a few hours ago.

"Introducing the new Taichou of the Second Division of the Gotei 13, the new Commander-in-Chief of the Omnitsukido, the new Commander of the Executive Militia, and the 9th head of the Fon Family, Soifon!"

The woman's voice sailed through the double doors for all behind it to hear. "Go get 'em, kid," was the last thing I heard her say before I was shoved through the doors into my new life. The moment I stepped across the threshold was when I knew that I now had a purpose in life.

**A/N: Finally updated! I know, I'm trying to get better at this responsibility thing. I'll try to have an update within two months, but I can't promise anything.**

**I felt like I rushed this chapter, so I'm sorry if it doesn't have a great flow to it or it has grammar mistakes. I decided to make Soi's time after Yoruichi's departure in two parts. The next chapter will be the longer second part about why she was made captain so suddenly and her meeting with the not so lovely Shihoins. I kind of wanted the first part to focus on the emotions of Soifon and her newfound friendship with Kuukaku.**

**I also might do a little side story about Soi's first meeting with Kuukaku, but maybe later.**

**Please leave a review to tell me what you think or anything that you didn't like, but don't flame please. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you all come back for the next chapter. Thank you all for the support.**

**Shakkaho3000 over and out.**


	8. You're Such a Sweetheart

**If you were quick enough to see chapter 8 before I removed it, you probably would have been happy it was removed. I'd like to thank Mr. Khan for giving me some of advice (don't worry, I didn't take any offense, I was already worried about it not being well-written, so I just needed to hear someone with experience and talent). Plus, I wrote most of it early in the morning; I was probably incoherent.**

**But hopefully this is better. I think so; I guess some of you wouldn't know if I deleted the first version of the chapter. Should I re-post it so you guys can compare? I still kept some things, though. Anyways, this will be a direct continuation from the last so you guys won't get confused. Enjoy!**

*/*

Erratic. That was how I would describe the entire situation. It was completely unpredictable, just when you thought the situation would calm and everything would go back to normal, something else would happen.

After I had ceremoniously been pushed into the room, I was the last one to arrive and had to be the center of attention for a few moments. Then the Sotaichou asked me to stand on his right side, saving me from further embarrassment, and finally the attention turned to him when he started the meeting. It was during his long introductory speech that we learned of Urahara's experiments, the Central 46's ruling on the exile of the rogue captains and lieutenants, and now of the sudden appointment of these new and inexperienced Shinigami, including myself.

Yes, I wasn't the only one. The new captains were that weird guy with face paint who worked with Urahara at his lab, the peculiar lieutenant of the 5th Division, a dark-skinned blind man with interesting hair, a tall bulky man who hid his face behind a veil, and the young, white-haired 3rd seat of the 10th Division. What? As if I'd bother to learn their names.

I wanted to say, "Sotaichou, I know that you're old and wise and that you helped with the founding of the Gotei 13, yet I can't help but doubt your way of handling this situation." None of us achieved bankai, nor did any of us have a lot of experience. But, hey, the Gotei 13 was already in an unstable condition at the moment, so it couldn't have gotten worse, right?

After the ridiculous, two hour meeting full of introductions and surprises, I was extremely fatigued from the day's event, so I decided to walk back home. The others went back to their respective squads, and none of them spoke to each other. I was alone, but I was content. Dusk was nearing; the sky was a beautiful combination of red, pink, and orange. There was no wind, and the temperate was just right.

Peaceful. I was a little jealous. I wished my inner state could match the outside. But I could feel myself slowly breaking down, piece by pitiful piece.

Although, looking back at it, I had handled the state of affairs rather well. I could have easily sunk back into my despair. Or worse, ended my own life. Yet I survived through the heartbreak. I wondered why. Whatever the reason was, I was proud of myself.

And I couldn't help but feel a few of those pitiful pieces being put back together.

It was during my self-observation that I felt the approaching presence of another individual before a messenger abruptly appeared before me. He wore the standard Onmitsukido outfit, but with a peculiar golden, rectangular design on the front.

And then it registered in my head while my heart skipped a beat.

Before he could open his mouth, I raised my hand to silence him and nodded, telling him that I already understood. He led me to the outskirts of the Seireitei where the noble houses chose to live in their own secluded manors. We arrived at the main gate of the largest of all the noble clans, in terms of both the number of members and the size of the entire property.

Yes, I was called for a meeting with the main council of the Shihoin Clan.

There were servants who were waiting at the large entrance to the foyer of the mansion. They led me through a series of hallways that led to a small open space with two chairs by an open window.

"Please wait here," the servant said, "they will call you in shortly."

After he left, I sat down in one of the chairs and looked out the window. The sky changed. The warm colors looked more like they violently collided with each other into a light violet. Maybe it was because of the setting sun distributing shadows across the land.

Later I would find out that the heavens were trying to warn me.

A booming male voice yelled for me to come in. Before I walked in room, I wiped my sweating hands on my obi and squeezed it to give myself some reassurance. Stepping into the doorway, I bowed deeply at the eight individuals. It is always important to make a good first impression, especially for people who could easily destroy everything you ever lived for.

"Come in and sit," the same voice spoke again, "we have many things to discuss, Shaolin."

The room was similar to the captains' meeting room, except that the walls were violet with a golden trim. It was rather dark because of twilight, but there were a few lit candles, giving an eerie feeling to the mood. The eight most powerful men and women of the Shihoin Clan sat a long wooden table, and I sat in a chair facing them from a yard or two away.

I scanned all eight of the similar faces before nervously darting my eyes back down to my soaked hands that began to tremble. They all either had impassive or annoyed expressions. Contrary to common belief, I did not know much about the Shihoins or their politics. I served Yoruichi-sama only, and she told everything that I knew about her family, whom I had never met. The main council, who made the final decisions for the family, consisted of two elders and the immediate family of the Tenshiheisoban, but since she was missing, it went back to the former Tenshiheisoban's council. The title was hereditary, so I assumed the meeting would be headed by Yoruichi's father.

The man from earlier was most likely her father; he sat in the middle and had the same voice form earlier. He was practically an older male version of Yoruichi. Seeing the familiar features made my heart ache, and I tensed up from the harsh memory. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, the man began the meeting with an odd look in his eyes.

". . . Um . . . I'm guessing you're Shaolin Fon?"

Huh? I was kind of caught off guard with the obvious question, and I thought it was a joke until he paused for a while. I looked up and saw amused looks on a few faces, and the man was even smiling. This gave me a little more confidence, so I opened up with a small voice.

"Ah, yes sir . . . but you can . . . I'd rather be called Soifon."

"Soifon?" a woman who sat at the far right of the table spoke up, "Oh, you must be her granddaughter! She was a great spy. No wonder you have such talent. And, you know, she was a cutie, too."

I bashfully smiled at her compliment and quickly looked back down at my hands while muttering a thank you. The others chuckled at this, and my nervousness resurfaced for a moment. Was this their normal behavior?

"Oh my, it looks like we're scaring her. But we should stop and truly begin the meeting. I smelled the servants cooking ramen. And yes, Soifon, even an elegant nobleman like me enjoys eating ramen," the former Tenshiheisoban smiled at me.

"Well, let's start with quick introductions. If you have not figured it out yet, I am the former Tenshiheisoban, and the father of the current head, Shihoin Takeshi. Pleased to meet you." His handsome grin widened as he combed through his shoulder-length hair with his hairs.

"Sitting to the left of me is my sister Yumiko and, to her left, her husband Hikaru. On my right is my beautiful wife Kazumi, my older brother Itsuki and my nephew Shizu. The two old men at the end of each side are Keitaro-sama and Rei-sama."

Except for the two elders, who narrowed their eyes, everyone gave me a welcoming smile. Kazumi, whose hair was lighter than the others, beamed at me especially. Were these the "corrupt monsters" that people talked about? I smiled back, and Takeshi continued.

"Well, let's get straight to the point. As you know, my daughter was involved in some kind of foolish conspiracy with that Urahara boy," his voice softened with grief, "and she has not contacted us since. The entire Seireitei was in disarray as we all looked for replacements and explanations, whether rational or not. The situation caused a perfect opening for an enemy to attack us in our weakened state. That is why Yamamoto-sama and the Central 46 made those sudden decisions. We, however, have not agreed on who will command the Onmitsukido, which has always been under the direct control of our clan for generations.

"Most of us do not want a change in ways. When Yamamoto-sama recommended you, some of us were outraged," Rei-sama sneered at this, which earned him a glare from Takeshi, "They did not want a non-Shihoin, especially a Fon, to take the position that our family has always had. You see, the Fons have served us for centuries. We have gotten use to their obedience, so if one of you were to take a higher position, some may feel as though we were serving you, and that does not sound enjoyable." He paused to take a sip of water and motioned for his wife to continue for him.

"And then there is the other side," Kazumi started, "The side that does not mind a change in our traditions. Your superiors have told us of how talented you are. My Yoruichi wouldn't have chosen you just because of your face, so they must be right. And we understand that with a few more years of rougher training, you could easily surpass any of us. These two opposing sides have been fighting and quarreling with each other for the past three days, and they still are."

Takeshi nodded and took up the speech again, "But at the end of the day, the main council will make the decision."

He paused for a moment to take another sip. But I thought the moment of silence took forever. Even though I was receiving this warm treatment, I still couldn't help but feel a little concern about it. One rumor would not affect my way of thinking at all, but a large mass of them from multiple sources, reliable and unreliable, would have me worried for my life at the moment. And when I looked back up, the faces wore either disappointed expressions or smirks.

"It is a tie between the liberals and the conservatives. That is, four wants you gone and the other four wouldn't mind a change."

Confused, I sputtered out, "W-what does that mean?"

He sighed. "Since we have not come to an agreement, it means that in order for us to truly know that you are capable of leading the Onmitsukido, we will have to test your abilities. We take great care to make sure that our organization is made up of strong soldiers. It'll only make sense that they need a tough leader. The Tenshiheisoban was always most likely to become the commander, and each generation had to be more powerful than the last. Yoruichi is stronger than me, and I surpassed my father. Do you understand now, Soifon?"

". . . Sir, you're not serious, are you?"

"I may be a comical man at times, but this is a serious matter, child." He took another sip of his water and stood up, looking down on me with his golden eyes. "Tomorrow, when the shadow of the Sokyoku Hill reaches the white forests, you and I will battle. If I'm defeated, you may take the position as Commander of the Onmitsukido. If you are defeated . . . well, I just hope you are still alive in the end, child."

He glanced towards the other members, who stood up and left the room one by one, each giving me a nasty, sorrowful, or blank look. I was left alone in the room with Takeshi, who had an odd look on his face.

"What are you thinking?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were just told that you, someone with the level of training as a 3rd or 4th seat, will have to fight me, a former commander with captain-level strength, in order to control the Onmitsukido. Yet you have not had much of a reaction. So, what are you thinking?"

He was right; I didn't really know what to think about the sudden turn of events. "I . . . I don't know what to think. I don't even know if I even want to be a captain or commander."

He looked at me for a moment before sighing again and staring down at his hands. "You say you'd rather not take any position. What if I say that your life depends on it? Would you then change your mind?"

". . ."

I didn't see how my life could be in danger. If I loss, then there will be no reason for the Shihoins to bother with me. If I were to somehow win, then I would have won fairly and it would hopefully be the end of the problem.

As if reading my mind, Takeshi continued, "Whatever happens tomorrow will not end the problem. There are some who are so offended that they will kill you either way, or at least not work easily with you. You see, you have greatly insulted our family. Not only because of your presence, but because my daughter believed that you were the only one capable of replacing her," he pulled out a small piece of paper with writing on it from his robes and handed it to me, "It seems that Yoruichi quickly scribbled a small note and left it at my door on the night that she left."

I skimmed the letter and looked back up at his eyes with a confused expression on my face. "I don't understand . . ."

"They say that when you read something out loud that you will better comprehend it."

Following his advice, I cleared my throat and read the note:

_Father,_

_I cannot tell you why I'm leaving, for I am running out of time, but you must trust me when I say that it is of great importance that you take care of my guard, Soifon. I request that you take back the position of Tenshiheisoban, and that you act as some sort of a regent to Soifon, as she is the only choice I would want to command the Onmitsukido. Please, do not question me or my choices. I will return, but it will be a while. This will be my last order as the 22__nd__ head of the Shihoin Clan and the Commander of the Onmitsukido. I hope that you will do everything you can to not let anyone touch her._

_Good-bye for now,_

_Yoruichi_

"It made me wonder why you were so special to her," he pondered while I gave him back the letter, "So I just assumed that you were something more to her than just a bodyguard. Something more than a friend." He looked at me with an intense look in his eyes. It made me feel as if he was looking right through me. "Am I right to assume that?"

Could I really tell my personal life to this man? ". . . I-I am not saying that I deny any feelings for your daughter, but we did not have any relationship above friendship." It was hard to lie in front of the very face of intimidation. But did I really just tell someone who I just met today my biggest secret? The day kept getting stranger.

"I see . . . well, if only one of you had the courage to confess, but I guess her departure would have had an even worse effect on your mental state. But back to the matter at hand, so, please, sit down." He motioned for the chair next to his, and I warily took the offer. "Don't be scared, child. I have no intention of hurting you."

I looked back up into those golden eyes. "It's hard not to be intimidated by the man who can easily kill you before you even realize it."

"Who said I was going to kill you?"

"Well, the end of me equals the end of the problems."

"So you're saying that you've accepted your death?" he quirked his eyebrow at me and had a pained expression on his face.

Feeling more fatigued and dejected, I whispered, "What else am I suppose to do? It's like you said, I would probably die either way . . ."

He blankly stared at me for a moment before clearing his throat and abruptly standing up. "I have a proposition."

"A proposition?"

"Yes, one that includes me faking my own defeat so that you could rightfully take the title that Yoruichi wanted you to have."

He walked over to a window and stared at the cloudy night sky. "Are you familiar with Hado Number 89?"

I responded no to which he said, "Hado Number 89 is called the Trickery of the Laughing Possums. Possums are rodents that aren't common in the Gotei 13's jurisdiction of the World of the Living, but they are widely known for being able to effectively play dead when a predator is near. Well, Hado Number 89 allows the user to not only play dead but actually die. The lungs stop breathing and the heart stops completely, but the brain still functions with a small amount of special electrical pulses made of charged reishi particles. In a subconscious state, these charged reishi particles allow the user to still be aware of their surroundings. Therefore, they act as a link between the subconscious and conscious.

"The basis of my plan is that when we fight, I will purposely create an opening in my defense so that you can give me a fatal blow, and right before that happens I will use Hado Number 89 and you will become Soifon-Taichou, Commander of the Omnitsukido!" He finished his speech with a loud shout and a fist pump.

". . . You think that would work?" Was he serious right now?

He looked me right in the eye and gave me a serious expression. "Child, I have gathered a great deal of wisdom over the many decades I have been alive. I'm sure that I'm able to make effective plans that will definitely work."

But I was still doubtful. "Why are you helping me?"

I thought I struck a nerve because he sighed and stared at the ground until he looked up and stared into my eyes. "It does seem strange that I want to help you, doesn't it? You know, I'm wondering that myself. Well, if you didn't know already, I love my daughter. Her birth was the happiest day of my life. It's not like I had always wanted a child, but she was the only thing that brought happiness. You've noticed how she avoided her duties as a Shihoin, right? I was the same way, probably worst. I wanted to be free from my family; I wanted more than a political life. But my father refused to let me stray away from my duties, and I gave up when my arranged marriage went through.

"Kazumi is a beautiful woman, yes, and I do love her now, but it's a terrible feeling to be forced to marry someone that you didn't love. So I passively went through with it until Yoruichi was born," he put on a wistful expression, "My first and only baby girl at nine and half pounds; she was a big one! And I would be foolish to reject her as my child because she's almost like my twin. Yoruichi was honestly my first love, and I'm the reason why I let her ignore her responsibilities. But now she's gone and I lost my love without a good-bye. The least I could do is fulfill her last wish if I never see her. Whether you trust me or not I want you to know that I'm doing this with the best intentions. So what do you say, child?"

Believing in him, I smiled and nodded my head, to which he smiled back and embraced me tightly (and painfully). For the next half hour, we made our very detailed plan and then retired to our quarters. Our battle was to start at the break of dawn, so I got some much needed rest for the rest of the night. It had been such a hectic day that I literally fell into bed, and I had a vague dream of Yoruichi and me holding hands in a cherry blossom field . . .

"And I guess that dream was a vision of when we confessed." I looked up at her confused golden eyes and smiled. I wasn't surprised at her expression since I pretty much told her how "caring" her father is.

While I retold the story, our reiatsu subsided and we calmed down. I'm not sure when, but somewhere along the way we floated down and were sitting on a rooftop side by side. I didn't mean to drag on the tale, but I felt more relaxed as I kept talking. Yoruichi had always wanted me to open up more about her departure, so I guess I gave her what I wanted.

"Soi, I . . . I don't understand," Yoruichi started with uncertainty in her voice, "My father helped you, didn't he? From what you've said, only the elders didn't like you, but the rest either didn't mind or supported you. How did they not like you?"

I chuckled at the cute face she was making and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "You didn't let me finish, love. But it's getting late, so let's officially end this fight and give each other a proper apology." I was about to get up and help her to her feet until she grabbed my hand and pulled me back down. She said, "No, Soi, I want to hear everything that happened with you and my family," and hooked her arm around mines to keep me from escaping.

I chuckled again, "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. But after this message." Feeling the reiatsu earlier, I turned my head to the just arrived messenger from my squad and told him to report. He said that my dumbass lieutenant was about to get his ass handed to him by Renji and Ikakku and the squad is trying to control the situation. I told him to notify my 3rd seat and let him handle it until I got there. When the messenger vanished, I turned back to Yoruichi who had a smile on her face.

"Well, it looks like Omaeda is being a good lieutenant and reminding you of your duties."

"Tsk, I guess so. But I guess I should wrap it up. I'll skip to the battle, okay?"

She nodded her head and kissed me, and I continued, "This part is a little dark, and hard to remember, but you asked for it so I'll tell. Takeshi-sama and I were in an indoor arena in your family's manor with a large crowd of protestors and supporters . . ."

The stadium was full of Shihoins and branch families that either came to see a good fight or came to see me die. The main council was sitting on the bottom row of the bleachers. I heard my name being called (rather loudly) and turned my head to see Kuukaku and her brother near the top. She was holding a sign that read "Stab 'em with your stinga, bee!" which got some nasty looks from other spectators (they also received a nasty look from her) but brought a smile to my face. Of course that quickly disappeared when I heard death threats from the audience being thrown at me.

Takeshi glanced at me and gave me a quick smile before he raised his hand, which immediately silenced the crowd. "Let us settle this problem that we have all been stressing over for these past couple of days," he spoke with a loud booming voice full of confidence, "There is no need for introductions since all of you know who I am and who this child is. We have come here to see who will succeed Yoruichi for the title of Commander of the Onmitsukido. This will be a fair fight; I will use my katana and martial arts without wearing armor and Soifon will use her Zanpaktou and martial arts without wearing armor. The rules are simple: kill or incapacitate the other opponent and you win. There will be no penalty for the loser, so_ she _will just return to the Gotei 13 and _her_ duties." The crowd laughed at his emphasis but he gave me a reassuring glance.

"That is all there is to say, so let's begin!"

With the crowd roaring with delight, Takeshi stepped forward and put out his hand. "Let the best commander win," he playfully said with a wink. I smiled at him and confidently gripped his hand. The second I touched his hand, I heard the loud gong that signaled the start of the fight and felt myself being thrown in the air.

*/*

In the background, I heard cheers and shouts of joy as my mind wavered in and out of consciousness. It was even painful to keep my eyes open, although it was hard to see with the stream of blood that flowed down my head and over my right eye. Barely able to breathe, I hesitantly moved various parts of my body. A sharp pain in my left tibia; I think that was when he sent a powerful kick at it. A sting within my chest; he launched an unrecognizable kido that made my lungs explode, or at least that was what it felt like. Some of my ribs were broken along the way in a series of rapid punches. I either bit my tongue or I received a blow. Broken nose and arm. Add a fractured skull to the list, too.

What happened to Hado #89 you ask? I wondered that myself. At first, I thought he was only playing rough so the fight could look genuine. But when he began to purposely make openings in order to strike me back down, I soon realized that I was tricked. That sweet smile of his turned into a sadistic smirk, and all of those "supporters" on the main council wore the same face.

Takeshi stood over me with his bloodied katana and that same smirk on his face. He only had a scratch on his cheek and a broken nose, the latter being a lucky shot. He had homonkas on his right cheek, his right arm, somewhere on his back, and his left leg. Every time I tried to get that much needed second hit he would easily evade my attack. It almost looked like he was just playing with me and letting me give some hits.

The fight had lasted for about 15 minutes. The only reason it lasted that long was because of Takeshi's excessive tormenting. The fight began with a roundhouse kick to the side of my body when I was in midair. The fight ended with a devastating blow to the side of my head while I was on my knees. I would never forget that horrid _crunch_ I heard.

My pounding head was able to hear a few calls of my name, which I vaguely realized was from Kuukaku, but the cheers were still too loud. Takeshi crouched over me and moved a few strands of hair out of my bloodied eyes. While he caressed my cheek, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I'm so sorry, child, but you must be denser than I thought if you really think I'll just give you our Onmitsukido," he then said in a sweet voice, "But don't worry, you might be able to see Yoruichi in the afterlife." He stood and raised his katana so that it was vertically pointing above my head. "Oh yeah, and that letter was a fake."

I thought this was it. I thought it was time for me to leave this godforsaken world. I closed my eyes and waited for my painless death. It was shameful to just give up like that, but what could I have done? During the fight, I kept getting back up and struck back down, until I just couldn't anymore. Yoruichi left me here to waste away, I thought. Maybe she was in on this little plan. Maybe she . . .

"Soifon, please, stop." Yoruichi interrupted and wrapped her arms around my waist, laying her forehead on my shoulder. "I don't want to hear the rest; I don't even want to hear the end and how you survived. I just want to go home and forget about all this."

She stood up, pulling me along with her, and turned so her back was facing me. Her hands clenched into a fist and she began to tremble.

"Yoruichi," I said in a worried voice, "Are you okay?"

She glanced over her shoulder and had a pissed off expression on her face. "I'll be back," she growled before she disappeared from the rooftop.

I'm sorry about the long wait but I didn't think I would have summer work and reading packets for my classes. The chapter is still pretty long but I tried to stick to the storyline. What do you think of this version of the Shihoins? I know a lot of people make them look evil and corrupted, but I thought I change it around and have them seem nice and sweet at first. We're going back to the present next chapter, and to give you a hint on what's next, I'll say that Yoruichi is pissed about her father's betrayal.

So I was re-reading some of my earlier chapters from this story and my other ones and, well, I didn't really like them. It looks like my "new" muse doesn't appreciate the works of my "old" muse. Especially that smut chapter for this story; I think I might rewrite that one, but we'll see. Anyways, thank you for reading. I very much appreciate your support.

Shakkaho3000 over and out


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